1. Technical Field
This invention relates to water cleaning systems, and more particularly, to an automated water discharging system for prohibiting buoyant debris from reaching and engaging an existing support structure that is partially submerged in an existing body of water.
2. Prior Art
Weeds and plants grow in and along the shores of most man-made lakes and ponds. Many owners of homes and cabins along the shorelines of such ponds and lakes enjoy using the shallow portions of these bodies of water for swimming, boat launching, and other water activities. The weeds are a nuisance and interfere with such activities. Removing the weeds manually with rakes or other tools is a labor intensive, boring task. Moreover, the weeds are then piled up on shore or floating in the water, and must be removed. Bulky, mechanical weed harvesters are not practical for private, individual use, while chemical treatments are unsatisfactory from an environmental perspective. Moreover, any weed removal process must typically be repeated shortly thereafter, since weeds grow rapidly.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,412,884 to Staples et al discloses a dragline apparatus for cleaning waste material and sludge in clarifier and settling ponds and lagoons which includes a pair of side walls and a back wall forming a frame supported on front and rear flotation rollers. Between the home member is at least one blade, pivotally mounted for swinging movement from an active to an inactive position. Cables are connected to the front and rear of the frame and to prime movers on the banks of a pond to be cleaned.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,314,619 to Runyon discloses an apparatus for improvement of water quality in a pond or similar body of water. A main conduit is located below the water surface and extending generally parallel to the shoreline. A plurality of distribution conduits are attached at intervals to the main conduit and operated sequentially so that water pumped through the system causes circulation of water in the pond. Each distribution conduit will preferably incorporate an aspirator to aerate the pumped water. The pumped water will also normally contain a mixture of microorganisms, enzymes and nutrients which are discharged into the body of water to clarify the body of water of contaminants and to maintain the water quality thereafter. Also disclosed is a method of improving water quality using the apparatus and the mixture. The invention provides for thorough, efficient and rapid decontamination of ponds and elimination of stagnant areas, as well as for maintaining the ponds in clean and healthy conditions.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,542,142 to Young discloses a cleaning device for removing debris from a pond or other body of water including an elongated tubular member having an internal collection chamber for collecting water and debris, an inlet nozzle at the lower end of the member connected to the collection chamber, and an outlet at the upper end of the member also connected to the chamber. The outlet has an air hole which can be closed to trap air in the collection chamber while the lower end of the device is submerged in the water to a location adjacent debris to be collected. When the air hole is uncovered, water and debris will be drawn into the collection chamber through the inlet nozzle. The collected water and debris is trapped in the chamber while the device is moved from the water and taken to a disposal area, where it is inverted to drain collected water and debris from the chamber via the outlet.
The present invention satisfies such a need by providing a system that is convenient and easy to use, is durable yet lightweight in design, is versatile in its applications, and provides owners of waterfront properties with a simple means to automatically clear away unsightly floating weeds and debris.